On the first Monday of May, the MET Gala 2024 awakens in honor of archival fashion. On the carpet, nature’s influence comes alive. Whose looks made our Best Dressed List?
How do you awaken a sleeping beauty? You go through her archives, of course. The MET Gala 2024 wakes with the theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”, an honorific nod to garments so special yet fragile, they may never be worn again. With the dress code drawing inspiration from J.G. Ballard’s short story, “The Garden of Time”, and paying homage to the beauty of nature, floral accents emerge as a prominent motif. With fashion’s biggest night, whose looks bloom and blossom?
RELATED: The 2024 Met Gala Theme Awakens Sleeping Beauties
Zendaya
On the heels of her stylishly on-theme press tours for Dune 2 and Challengers this year, it’s only fitting she also wears two looks on the MET carpet. The co-chair wore Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano and vintage Givenchy Haute Couture, giving something old and something new a flowery feature.
Jennifer Lopez
Resembling butterfly wings, Jennifer Lopez glides in a Schiaparelli gown sheath dress adorned with warm silver pearls, rhinestones, and an astonishing 2.5 million silver foil bugles. The co-chair further accessorized with Tiffany & Co. necklace, earrings, and bracelet, along with a platinum and yellow gold ring embellished with diamonds, and a Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Bird on a Rock ring.
Rebecca Ferguson
Birds of a feather fly in Thom Browne’s cape, adding to the dazzling display of sequins in the dress. Ferguson swiftly removed the garment, unveiling her gown and revealing the blue lining of the cape.
Sarah Jessica Parker
And just like that, Sarah Jessica Parker is back on the MET carpet, right where she belongs. She was dressed in a sculptural Richard Quinn corset gown, paired with a headpiece Carrie Bradshaw would be proud to own.
Greta Lee
In her first MET Gala appearance, glam rock is the essence of Greta Lee in a sheer-and-shaped Loewe look with floral appliques and delicate sheer, juxtaposed with her mullet look.
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain exudes modern romance in a Jean Paul Gaultier brown lace gown inspired by the mocha-colored lace corset Suzanne von Aichinger wore in the spring 2003 couture show, called Morphing. The look was accentuated by sheer opera gloves that trail the gown’s train.
Taylor Russell
Loewe shapes a wooden bodice for Taylor Russell’s MET Gala debut, fitting it snugly to her frame like a bespoke work of art. Decorated with hand-painted illustrations of birds and plants, the bodice transforms into nature’s spectacle.
Elle Fanning
A sculptural glass makes up our live-action Sleeping Beauty Elle Fanning, taking inspiration from the sky. The off-the-shoulder Balmain gown features two frosted birds that catch the light along with her dress.
Tyla
The theme is about exhibiting archival pieces that are too delicate to the touch, presenting the past with such amorous distinction, and Tyla understands this literally with her shifting sands of time Balmain dress.
Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts stuns in a custom black Balenciaga ensemble, featuring strikingly exaggerated sleeves that create a dramatic silhouette. Paired with white gloves, the ensemble achieves a bold contrast, elevating its impact.
Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid exudes Old Hollywood charm with her bob haircut, complemented with a contemporary and intricate Thom Browne dress. The gown, with yellow roses and dark green leaf appliqués, required over five thousand hours to embroider its details and even longer to meticulously sew on the millions of micro-beads.
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman comes to this place for magic, and her exposed feathery skirt might even be magical itself. In a Balenciaga creation, she wears a white double silk bustier matched with a flared skirt cascading over frayed black silk organza, evoking the ethereal beauty of feathers. This original design is inspired by the flamenco dancers’ ruffled attire.
The MET Gala 2024 carpet style a look that takes the land, sky, and sea into an immersive experience that relates with nature’s experiences. Each best outfit lifts the theme of reawakening fashion with its own petal. With these “Sleeping Beauty” ensembles, it becomes clear that inspiration doesn’t stay dead, but needs a kiss to stay alive.
Photos: FILM UPDATES and POP BASE (via X)
